THE DAILY TEXAN Serving the University of Texas at Austin community since 1900
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Texas freshmen deliver big despite youth in their first game SPORTS PAGE 6
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I’M FLOATING ON CLOUDS
JAXON SHIPLEY
When one exercises in triple-digit heat, one could easily pass out from heat exhaustion. Tips to avoid that on LIFE&ARTS PAGE 9
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LIFE&ARTS PAGE 10 Wednesday, September 7, 2011
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Blaze destroys Bastrop area homes
Calendar Barbie girl
Zeta Sigma Chi Sorority is sponsoring a talk examining the cultural evolution of the Barbie franchise, the ever-expanding backgrounds she represents and what this means for women in a multicultural world. The free event will be from 6-7 p.m. in BEN 1.102.
By Amanda Rogers Daily Texan Staff
‘Soldier of Love’ Sade will be performing tonight at the Erwin Center with special guest John Legend after a decade-long hiatus. The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. and tickets start at $29.50.
Building Tomorrow
Learn how you can participate in building schools in Uganda with the nonprofit Building Tomorrow at their kick-off event in the SAC Auditorium 1.102. 7-8:30 p.m.
The Alamo Drafthouse and Austin Young Chamber of Commerce will be hosting an “Office Space” quote-along. There will be a special themed menu and door prizes. The movie starts at 6:30 p.m. and tickets are $10 for members and $15 for nonmembers.
Today in history In 1996 Legendary rapper Tupac Shakur was shot in Las Vegas after attending a boxing match and died days later. His killer was never identified.
Inside In Opinion: President Powers’ efficiency claim put to the test page 4
In Sports: Marquis Goodwin returns to the Longhorns page 6
In Comics: The Perry signal! I must return to Texas! page 8
In Life&Arts:
Aikido club knows how to put brain over brawn page 10
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Ryan Edwards | Daily Texan Staff
Paul Sandberg stands on the remains of the more than 30-year-old house that he built outside the city of Bastrop on Tuesday morning.
Central Texas officials await decision on wildfire disaster declaration Bastrop County officials said at a press conference Tuesday evening that Federal EmergenFires continued to burn across cy Management Agency repreTexas on Tuesday, creating chaos sentatives are currently reviewsome believe will justify declaring ing requests to declare the area a a natural disaster. natural disaster. By Jillian Bliss Daily Texan Staff
Mike Fisher, coordinator for Bastrop County Emergency Management, said approximately 34,800 acres have burned within the county and 336 fire crew personnel have been brought in from across the state to combat the flames. Fire
crews have determined the fires were responsible for two deaths, but as of press time were not able to release names or information on the fatalities. Fisher said approximately
FIRE continues on PAGE 5
AlcoholEdu promotes informed decisions when it comes to alcohol consumption in college, but has failed to yield long-term beneficial results, according to a national study. For the past three years, the University has required all incoming freshmen and transfer students to complete the interactive, online course. According to a study by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, the program successfully reduces harmful drinking but only for a semester. Kevin Prince, who operates the AlcoholEdu course at UT, said the course does not force a view on the students, but equips students with information to make responsible alcohol-related decisions. The most important part of the program is to educate the students on the realities of alcohol, Prince said. He said this is a clear distinction from advocating abstinence from alcohol and can lead to a positive impact in the lives of UT students. According to the NIAAA study, topics such as driving under the influence and alcohol poisoning are heavily covered in AlcoholEdu, and these incidents are “significantly reduced” on campus
ALCOHOL continues on PAGE 2
Muslim association organizes two September blood drives By Andrew Messamore Daily Texan Staff
With the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks approaching, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Students Association joined a national effort to improve the image of Muslims in America by sponsoring a blood drive on campus Tuesday. In partnership with The Blood and Tissue Center of Central Texas, AMSA members sought volunteers outside while medical technicians inside worked quickly to take blood from students hurrying between classes. “The goal of the drive was to get around 20 people to donate blood, in about three hours,” said blood drive volunteer Michael Seager. The drive went smoothly as medical technicians helped multiple students as others wait-
ed patiently at the back of the
blood donation bus. The AMSA, AMSA — they were able to meet which is not associated with the their goal of 20 donors. The UT group was not the only Muslim Students Association, is one collecting blood. Tuesday’s effort was one of 220 Ahmadiyya drives on college campuses and other locations throughout the country. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, an international Muslim organization that AMSA represents, was started in India in 1889 as a way to preach the fundamental ideas of the Ahmadiyya Community as well as remove misconceptions about Islam based on ignorance or will— Usama Malik, AMSA officer ful discrimination, according to the AMSA website. With these blood drives, the larger Ahmadiyya Community hopes to gather 10,000 bags of blood, said an organization with about 10 AMSA officer Usama Malik. current members at UT. This was the largest blood drive yet for BLOOD continues on PAGE 2
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Our goals are really to just promote peace, value the sanctity of life and raise awareness about Islam.”
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‘My stapler...’
AlcoholEdu fails to prevent binge drinking over long haul
Quote to note
Luis Jasso | Daily Texan Staff
Artist Mika Tajima gives a lecture on the boundaries of perception at the Edgar A. Smith Auditorium on Tuesday evening.
UT resident artist’s exhibit ‘opens up possibilities’ By Lydia Herrera Daily Texan Staff
Standing in the midst of slide projections, scaffolds and paintings displaying vivid and energetic colors, artist Mika Tajima quietly surveyed her work as it neared completion Tuesday in the Visual Arts Center. At a Blanton Museum event on campus Tuesday, Tajima, the new
artist-in-residence at the UT, explained her creation process for her exhibit “The Architect’s Garden,” set to be open from Sept. 9 until Dec. 17 in the Visual Arts Center. The exhibit combines painting, sculpture, architecture and video and incorporates elements from the UT and Austin community. Tajima said she based her exhibit
ART continues on PAGE 2
High demand, short supply raise Austin apartment rents
“Once I got out on that field, it was just kind of natural for me. I felt like I was supposed to be there.”
By Nick Hadjigeorge Daily Texan Staff
— Jaxon Shipley Freshman wide receiver
Mary Kang | Daily Texan Staff
SPORTS PAGE 6
Phlebotomist Josh Crowley draws blood from human biology junior Irtiza Sheikh during the Ahmadiyya Muslim Students Association blood drive Tuesday afternoon on Speedway.
The cost of renting an apartment in Austin has increased 10.1 percent over the last six months, according to a report by the rental property research group Axiometrics Inc. The rent increase resulted from a combination of factors, said Ronald Johnsey, president of Axiometrics. Approximately 13,500 jobs were created in Austin between
July 2010 and July 2011, and the supply of housing can’t keep up with the demand. The 10.1-percent growth rate is considerably higher than the national average of 5.36 percent and is the largest rate increase in Texas since 2009, according to the report. “[These are] incredible rates compared to other parts of the country,” Johnsey said. “The government,
RENT continues on PAGE 2